Honda Accord Hybrid


While I enjoyed the Civic -- driving it at least once on one of my Eastbound jaunts -- when the first Accord with Hybrid tech was announced, I was hooked. So I got one of the first ones, in 2005. Honda made a mistake, however: they applied this tech to the top-of-the-line Accord, so that one had to purchase the V-6 engine, the leather upholstery with heated seats (in Arizona!) and dual-control a/c (when I’m mostly alone) and all sorts of tricky but comfortable gadgetry.

One notable feature that is responsible for much of the economic gas consumption is that when cruising the engine elects to run on only 3 cylinders. But this means that a call for greater power brings on the other 3 cylinders, adding to the gas demand. Only then will further pressure bring on the electric boost. Thus the economy was far less evident than with the smaller Hybrid models, and Honda dropped the Accord Hybrid after 2 years, I think. Anyway, that car is no longer made.

It’s a beautiful vehicle—definitely the best car I’ve ever had. On my recently-completed 6,757-mile trip to the East Coast, the highest average I enjoyed was 40.3 mpg -— not bad for a 3.5 litre powerplant. Now that a new Insight is available, I was tempted to look into it. It has many late advantages, but when I listed those against the luxuries I already enjoy, the Accord won.